"JOBS ARE PRIVILEGES, AND THE PRIVILEDGED HAVE JOBS." -KENDZIOR

In her article “The Permanent Intern” Seligson uses a generation Y, poster child, Kate, to represent both the opportunity and struggle of her generation. With an Ivy League education, various extracurriculars and well off parents- Kate still cannot land a full time job. Instead, she remains in the temporary and transitional intern state, waiting to be presented with a defined job position. “People my age expect to start at the bottom,” Kate says, “but in this economy the bottom keeps getting lower and lower.”At this rate, it makes more economic sense for some to take paid entry-level jobs rather than a potentially career building internship. However as Kate says, “That doesn’t lead me anywhere.” Before the rise of internships, “the expectation was that the government, companies, and universities would invest in young people" (Seligson). In exchange, these individuals would repay the investment as taxpayers. Despite previous efforts toward governmental reform, “illegal employment relationships masquerading as internships” continue to prevail as companies evade wages through those who succumb to “volunteer service” (Eisenbrey, 2013). However, without equal access to entry, unpaid internships exclude qualified and talented individuals who do not have the required means or leisure time. Most people in their twenties do not have the luxury of parents who are able to comfortably support their unemployed children, let alone cover living expenses in high cost cities. As Kendzior says, “Jobs are privileges and the privileged have jobs.”

Images taken from: http://www.careerfaqs.com.au/news/news-and-views/are-you-being-conned-the-truth-about-internships/ and http://nvconceptsonline.com/2014/08/26/nv-concepts-internship-program/